1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heat exchange, and more particularly, to a means and method for enhanced heat exchange between two liquids.
2. Problems in the Art
A common method of exchanging heat between fluids is to position an enclosure or conduit of one of the fluids within the conduit or enclosure of the other of the fluids. By circulating one or both of the fluids through their respective conduits or enclosures, heat is transferred, by convection, from the hotter fluid to the cooler fluid.
It is also known that with regard to gases, heat transfer can be significantly improved over mere convection, by fluidizing one or both of the conduits or enclosures, utilizing bed materials of small particles. It has been discovered that the gas bubbles created in such a fluidized bed, by nature of the interaction of the gas flowing through the bed material, causes agitation of the particles, which in turn causes greater and more frequent interaction between the particles and the sides of the conduit or enclosure, thereby increasing heat exchange rate.
Fluidizing a heat exchanger for transfer of heat between two gases, so that such gas bubbles are produced, is known as aggrevative fluidization. Whereas these principles are known and have been effectively utilized in gas-to-gas heat transfer, they have not been satisfactorily applied in liquid-to-liquid heat transfer. There is thus a real need for increased or enhanced heat transfer between liquids of different heat content.
A significant difficulty in solving this problem exists in the fact that liquid fluidized beds do not generally carry liquid bubbles. If bubbles do not form, then the particle agitation characteristic of aggravated fluidization does not occur.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger means and method which solves or improves over the problems and deficiencies in the art.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which can provide effective and enhanced heat transfer between two liquids.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which produces not only enhanced heat transfer, but also enhanced control of the rate of heat transfer.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which facilitates aggregative fluidization to enhance heat transfer.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which is easily adaptable for a number of uses, materials, and heat transfer requirements.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which is efficient, economical, and non-complex.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims.